CUCUMBER 311 



Fig. 108. Special White Spine cucumbers grown for seed. 



the pots. It is not unusual for the seed to be sown in 

 2 or 2^-inch pots, the plants being shifted later to 3^ or 

 4-inch pots before they are set in the beds. They should 

 not be entirely rilled with soil ; a little space at the top 

 will facilitate watering. If they are placed on raised 

 benches, they should stand on a layer of sand, sifted coal 

 ashes or other material to prevent too rapid drying out. 

 If additional precaution is considered necessary, the pots 

 may be plunged in soil which is kept moist. It is an ad- 

 vantage to shift the plants once or twice before they are 

 planted in the beds. Turning the pots, changing location 

 of plants and allowing more space between the pots may 

 be an advantage. 



The commonest method is to sow the seed in beds or 

 probably in flats. Many growers sow broadcast, so that 

 the seeds are fairly close together. Others prefer to sow 

 in rows, which vary from 1J/2 inches to 3 inches apart. 

 Whatever the method, the seeds need not be more than 

 barely covered with soil. One benefit in using flats is 

 that they may be covered with glass which will protect 

 the seed from mice, conserve the moisture in the seed bed 

 and aid in providing a higher temperature for germina- 

 tion. In a week's time or less the seedlings will be up 

 and should be promptly transplanted to pots of sizes 



